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Is the BSA regulating the fun out of Scouting?


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JoeBob, I'm saddened to have to bring you into the 21st century on this. Well...I guess for that matter it was only a year or so ago that my students taught ME that the correct term for 'blubber butt' is now 'badonkadonk'. Although the urban dictionary explains its usage for application to females: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=badonkadonk

the definition is so humorous that you just HAVE to read it. The photos are worth a look too.

 

Edited: Sorry Vicki, resistance is futile(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

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Rules are never fun, but the only place I don't have to follow rules are in my inner thoughts. Rules are everywhere. Always have been, always will. Believe it or not.......in my OWN home, I can't throw my clothes on the floor, leave dishes in the sink, run naked thru the house yelling woo woo or leave the lid up on the toilet. Well, I could.....but I've learned there are benefits to following the rules. As dumb as I think they are, I tend to follow them. Things seem to work better that way and I find in the long run that following them didn't really impact my enjoyment of anything.

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run naked thru the house yelling woo woo ...

 

Yah, hmmm....

 

Between blubber butts and this comment I really think there should be a rule against threads that leave really bad images in da minds of the readers. :p

 

Beavah

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There have been many times on this forum where someone posts a question based on what another person said is a "rule". The advice most commonly given is to ask the person quoting the questionable rule is "tell me where it's written". I happen to think this is fantastic advice.

 

But the scenario I believe all of us envision is an adult-to-adult conversation. How would you feel if, in your role as adult leader, a youth presents the same challenge to you when you speak of a Scouting "rule"? Are we above reproach, never to be questioned by the youth we lead? Or can we swallow our pride and handle to ego bruise when a boy happened to be correct where we were wrong? And how do we react when we were correct and the Scout was wrong, and we can in fact show them where it's written?

 

My original thought is that I would have no with a Scout challenging me to back up what I say provided he did so in a respectful manner. But then it occurred to me, shouldn't we be doing this when engaging in this type of conversation with each other?

 

Also, if someone can tell me why I can reply but get syntax errors when trying to start a new thread, I would be most appreciative. That was my original plan. :)

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Also, if someone can tell me why I can reply but get syntax errors when trying to start a new thread, I would be most appreciative.

If you were using the "spin-off a new thread" function, did you select a forum in the "Choose a Forum" drop down box? It does not automatically default to the forum you are in.

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""run naked thru the house yelling woo woo ...

 

Yah, hmmm....

 

Between blubber butts and this comment I really think there should be a rule against threads that leave really bad images in da minds of the readers.

 

Beavah""

 

It's called Mental Floss.

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""run naked thru the house yelling woo woo ...

 

Yah, hmmm....

 

Between blubber butts and this comment I really think there should be a rule against threads that leave really bad images in da minds of the readers.

 

Beavah""

 

It's called Mental Floss.

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BSA and almost everything else anymore is a hassle due to WAY TOO MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS.

Not so much BSA's fault, it is typical CYA efforts thanks to whiners complainers, the politically correct crowd, our good freinds, the lawyers, govenment pressure, standards and laws etc. There are many things one can't do with scouts and other activities that have such a ridiculous burden of requirements, paperwork etc that they are effectively not worth the effort to make happen. Anyone can pick the pet rules of thier choice and illustrate justification for it but at a point long ago, Scoiety and BSA went way over the lines of common sense with the level or requirements, paperwork and rules to make many things in life an un-neccesary hassle, taking more time effort and frustration to pull off and very likely helping burn out and discourage volunteers. I have had numerous scouts come to the PLC and adults wanting to do "X" or "Y" and we had to tell them it was off limits or so much hassle, time friustration expense whatever to try to pull off that we had to say no.

 

 

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More and more "rules" = more time required from volunteers = harder to find good, dedicated, willing and able volunteers = burnout = less activities = .......

 

As one simple example, our council no longer allows ANYONE to purchase a Merit Bade or rank advancement badges unless that form that get's filled out at a BOR is turned in at the scout shop. So a SMC, then a BOR, someone needs to drive 25 miles to get a badge A week or two later we have a badge to present to the scout. Since the troop can't "stock" badges...."A scout is recognized ASAP" is out the door.

 

The paid folks forget about "what can we do to make it easier for Mr/Mrs volunteer?"

 

 

 

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Bureaucrats have one goal in life: a never ending quest for relevance and power. It overrides common sense, the greater good, professional courtesy, and mutual respect.

 

Unfortunate incidents are rarely dealt with in a measured manner. A bureaucrat will always err on the side of making a new rule, or policy, or process to overcome future incidents, however remotely possible they might be. Which naturally means more workhours, more paperwork, more employees, equalling in more power for the bureaucrat, who gets a secret pleasure from it all.

 

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Many of the paid staff have gotten to the point that they don't want anything to do with the volunteers.

We had some volunteers ask about some events and wanted wanted some information about a couple of other things. They were told by the paid staff - We'll tell you what you need to know.

 

Not a good way to gain volunteer help.

 

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Never encountered, "We'll tell you what you need to know" from paid staff. I did have them complain that I was not keeping them informed of what my district was doing. Things were going extremely well then. Didn't really need paid staff to do jobs volunteers were supposed to do -- and were doing.

 

I have encountered, on occasion, the attitude that volunteers are unreliable children, but I always suspected this came from training (James West legacy) and could be eliminated in due time. Also, those paid staff tended not to be around long. (Not in every case. Have a real jerk in middle mgt. now.)

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Tahawk, srisom, great points all...and I agree, oftentimes the bureaucrat's pleasure isn't secret at all.

 

The silver lining, as others have already pointed out: a bureaucrat rarely leaves sight of the mess hall or meeting room.(This message has been edited by desertrat77)

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